Chapter 244 A Surprise Visit from Nick Fury!

Unbeknownst to Anton, as he followed John to Reed research institute, an old acquaintance had set his sights on Reed and his team.

Ding dong!

The doorbell chimed.

Reed and his colleagues thought John was bringing Anton over, and they excitedly prepared to welcome them.

However, when they opened the door, they were greeted by none other than Nick Fury, flanked by a man and a woman.

These three looked vaguely familiar.

"Hello."

Reed, surprised, asked, "May I ask who you're looking for?"

"We're here for you, Reed Richards, and your team here," Nick Fury said calmly, eyeing the group, "Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm."

"And who are you exactly?"

Reed brow furrowed.

He sensed something unusual in their tone.

"SHIELD!"

Suddenly, Johnny eyes widened as he recognized their identities.

Always keen on superhero affairs, he was deeply interested in the lives of superheroes and closely followed the activities of all the major superheroes.

His memory was packed with details from SHIELD recent press conference and lots of information about the Avengers members.

Johnny wasn't a scientist. Among the Fantastic Four, he was the only one who wasn't a scientist, just a physically robust regular guy.

So, in the realm of research, he was the least scientific, often just running errands, and writing a report was a struggle for him.

However, when it came to having fun and navigating daily life, he excelled beyond the others.

When it came to digging up information and remembering these messy details, no one was better than him.

"You're Hawkeye, you're Black Widow!"

Johnny stated, pausing briefly, then his gaze settled on Nick Fury, "And you… are the director of SHIELD."

"Deputy Director!"

Nick Fury corrected, "I'm the deputy director now."

Since Coulson became the director, the travel duties naturally fell to Fury.

"So, SHIELD is looking for us, what the important matter?"

Reed interjected, his face unchanged, still frowning, clearly not pleased.

Obviously, even though this secretive department was no longer so secretive, their sudden visit still made him feel uneasy, as if his secrets had been discovered.

"Perhaps I should introduce ourselves again. SHIELD is a special task force under the International Security Council designed to handle various strange incidents."

Nick Fury demeanor was somewhat friendly as he slowly explained,

"Mr. Richards, your research has already touched upon these issues, and we hope you can cooperate with us."

"Strange incidents?"

Reed looked puzzled, "What so strange about my research?"

"Just like your good friend, Ben Grimm, now known as 'The Thing,' and your girlfriend brother, Johnny Storm, who experienced spontaneous combustion yesterday afternoon yet is now unharmed…" Nick Fury explained,

"We have reason to believe that you might have developed superpowers."

"In fact, we've collected your information."

Suddenly, Black Widow interjected, "After returning from the space station, some changes occurred in your bodies.

We suspect these changes have caused mutations, giving you superpowers… You are now very dangerous."

This statement made Reed and the others' faces subtly change.

Although they knew this was the truth, they hadn't expected officials to come knocking so swiftly.

What Reed and his team didn't know was that in recent days, after Nick Fury restructured SHIELD, and compared to the Justice League, they found that the Avengers lacked strong combat power.

Thus, they had been searching for individuals with extraordinary abilities who met their recruitment criteria to strengthen the forces of SHIELD and the Avengers.

Thus, they were eager to approach Reed and his team.

It wasn't that Reed and his team had been exposed too quickly rather, Ben Grimm transformation into The Thing was too conspicuous.

Combined with their information and the spontaneous combustion incident involving Johnny Storm yesterday, it was easy for others to speculate about bodily mutations.

SHIELD, obsessively focusing on this kind of information, naturally would not miss out.

"Do you want to capture us for research?"

Reed gaze instantly turned cold, his look towards Nick Fury and the others filled with disgust and rejection.

"No, you misunderstand!"

Nick Fury explained, "We're not trying to control your freedom, but your current bodily mutations are very dangerous.

SHIELD has the most advanced research and facilities, which could be of great help to you."

He spoke softly yet firmly, intending to impress upon Reed and his team the severity of their situation while reassuring them of SHIELD good intentions.

"So..."

Ben Grimm suddenly asked, "You want us to join SHIELD?"

"Yes."

Nick Fury finally managed a slight smile, nodding in confirmation, "Your research is very valuable, and SHIELD will provide you with sufficient funding and protection."

Funding was one thing, but the protection offered by Nick Fury made Reed and the others pause thoughtfully.

"Nick, they don't need protection."

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the halls of S.H.I.E.L.D., drawing everyone attention to its source. The appearance of the newcomer caused a collective shift in expression.

"Anton!" Black Widow and Hawkeye were taken aback.

"Anton?" Reed and the others were also startled, but the presence of John next to Anton confirmed his identity, much to their delight.

They had a much better impression of Anton than of Nick Fury.

For one, in the court of public opinion, the Justice League was deemed more reliable than S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers.

Moreover, Anton was not only a son of their old friend but also an ally of Batman.

These two facts alone were enough for Reed and his colleagues to trust Anton immensely.

"What brings you here?" Nick Fury face darkened upon seeing Anton, sensing an ominous premonition that his plans for the day would be thwarted.

"Haven't you guys investigated thoroughly already?" Anton chuckled.

"Reed investors have pulled out, leaving them scrambling for funds, which led them to my father… He was their instructor during their astronaut training at the space station."

"If you've overlooked even this, then I must say, I've greatly underestimated S.H.I.E.L.D.—you've still managed to disappoint beyond my lowest expectations."

With a shrug, he added, "No wonder Hydra played you for fools."

Nick Fury and the others grimaced at the undisguised mockery.

Especially Hawkeye, who clenched his bow tightly, recalling the humiliating moment he was caught in Batman net on the rooftop of a building in Washington, further bound by Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth.

It was known that the relationship between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Justice League wasn't originally hostile, but it soured dramatically after the Washington incident, plunging to an all-time low.

Moreover, the Justice League had since formed a symbiotic relationship with the U.S. military, their covert competitor, naturally leading to opposition.

Upon hearing Anton mocking, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents weren't surprised.

"Anton, if you plan to invest in them, you shouldn't say they don't need protection," Nick Fury commented coolly.

"If their research could grant ordinary people superpowers, they'd need protection more than anyone."

"I believe they can protect themselves," Anton responded.

"Besides, it not me who plans to invest in them it Batman."

"Batman?" "Batman is interested in us?

" Reed and his team gasped, their breaths quickening. Batman, a legendary figure and a titan among superheroes, showing interest in their research and even considering investment was exhilarating news.

And why wouldn't Batman know about them? S.H.I.E.L.D. could track them down so quickly, let alone the enigmatic Batman.

"Well then, good luck to you,"

Nick Fury face turned cold as Anton mentioned Batman name, and seeing Reed and the others' excited expressions, he knew S.H.I.E.L.D. had completely lost any chance of persuading them.

"Let go."

As they left via the elevator, Hawkeye expressed his reluctance. "Are we just giving up?"

"What else can we do? Force them to join us?" Nick Fury replied calmly.

"With Anton around, even forcing them won't give us a chance. In today public opinion, people trust the Justice League more than S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. We can only wait for an opportunity to change this perception."

"And we need to strengthen ourselves," Nick Fury mused, feeling a bit troubled.

"Given the current lineup of superheroes in the Justice League, they indeed have the upper hand."

"There someone suitable," Black Widow suddenly spoke.

"He held in a prison on the outskirts of New York. I plan to recruit him."

"Are you talking about Sandman, Flint Marko?" Nick Fury asked.

"Exactly," Black Widow nodded.

"Driven by Justin Hammer, he never harmed anyone on his own, nor has he killed. He perfect for the Avengers."

"Go ahead, Sandman is a good choice," Nick Fury pondered for a moment before instructing Hawkeye,

"Barton, you come with me to approach Victor Von Doom. Since Reed is a no-go, we'll have to start with Victor."

"Understood!"

Inside Reed research facility.

Reed and his team were far more welcoming to Anton and John than they had been to S.H.I.E.L.D.

At least, after S.H.I.E.L.D. left, upon first seeing Anton, they immediately invited him and John into the research facility and sat down for a chat on the sofa.

"Anton, is it true what you said? Batman is really impressed with our work?"

After S.H.I.E.L.D. departed, the most eager wasn't Mr. Fantastic, Reed, but rather Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.

As Batman self-proclaimed biggest fan, his admiration for Batman was unquestionable.

"So, does this mean we might get to meet Batman?"

Johnny eyes widened in anticipation of Anton response.

Even the others, including John Jameson, Anton father, were quite curious.

To this day, John hadn't been made aware of Anton true identity.

No one had bothered to tell him, including the old man himself it seemed like everyone preferred to have a laugh at his expense.

"Perhaps," Anton didn't give a definite answer but smiled,

"Batman is very interested in your research, so if there an opportunity, he wouldn't miss out on meeting you."

The conversation with Reed and his team went smoothly.

Unlike the disgraced S.H.I.E.L.D., which struggled to gain immediate trust from others.

Moreover, Reed and his team were keen on having Anton as an investor, and Anton projected the confidence of Batman.

As the only person in the world who could communicate directly with Batman, no one doubted Anton words.

Even John believed that Batman had long been interested in Reed research otherwise, it made no sense for Anton to agree so readily, even insisting on meeting Reed immediately.

John didn't think for a moment that Anton was doing this just to save his face, his father face.

John face wasn't that influential.

After the deal was settled, Anton asked John to sign the contract with Reed and others on behalf of Wayne Enterprises, then said,

"Batman actually holds you in high regard, Reed. He believes you are one of the few brilliant minds in the world and that you have much potential yet to be realized."

"Really?"

Reed was pleasantly surprised.

He certainly hadn't expected that someone as eminent as Batman would even know his name.

"Indeed."

Anton nodded, "Besides your project, we have some other research that might need your help. Would you be willing to come with me now?"

"Where are we going?"

Reed heart raced, sensing that tonight, he might discover some secrets.

"You'll see in a moment."

Anton found it challenging to explain everything on the spot, so he decided the best approach was to take Reed and his team on a tour of the site,

believing they would naturally understand his methods once they saw them in action.

Thus, the group made their way to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' territory, specifically to a sewer lab next to the Ninja Dojo.

The lab had undergone massive transformations since its initial construction.

The walls nearby had been reinforced and hardened, and it was now equipped with an array of electrical and research equipment, making it one of the most advanced research facilities in the world.

Two men in white lab coats approached Anton and his group.

"Let me introduce Dr. Curt Connors and Dr. Bruce Banner," Anton said.

"This is Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm. You're all experts in biology and have done considerable research in genetics. I'm sure you'll find plenty of common ground."

"Connors? The Lizard?" Johnny gasped upon hearing the name, then turned to look at Bruce Banner, who seemed unremarkable at first glance, so he dismissed him and hurried forward to shake Connors' hand.

"Hello!"

Johnny said, "I've long admired your work."

"Connors?" Reed was unfamiliar with the name Bruce Banner but had heard much about Curt Connors.

The Lizard was one of the villains Batman had dealt with early in his career.

He had then disappeared from public view.

Reed had assumed that Connors had been arrested and was in prison, not that he had become an ally of Batman.

Thinking it over, Reed suddenly realized: "So, the limb regeneration technology at Wayne Enterprises is your work... Dr. Connors, that incredible!"

"Bruce has helped me a lot too," Connors admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

While they were talking, John Jameson, Anton father, looked around at the surroundings and at Connors and the others, visibly astonished.

He had heard of the Lizard before.

As for Bruce Banner, although he hadn't heard of him before, Anton introduction suggested that he was no ordinary character.

John grew more curious about what his son had been through to have undergone such a transformation in just over a year.

And who exactly was Batman? To take such an interest in his son and transform him into what he was now.

"I can hardly believe that just over a year ago, Anton was nothing but a profligate who squandered money and chased women..." John was deeply moved.

Meanwhile.

Connors was introducing the lab research findings to Reed and the others.

"Just as you seek to unlock the secrets of human genetics to free humanity from disease, our original research focused on a human enhancement serum..."